Digital advertising company Media Planet has launched a digital TV network which will beam content including ABC news, sport, business and weather to purpose built 2.5 metre 360 degree LED screens in flagship shopping centres throughout Australia.

The new network, called 360tv, will go "live" on Monday 5 December.

Advertisers will be able to access the network, which combines programming with advertising run on a 12 minute loop, five times an hour, 50 times a day. The 360tv format is currently in operation in the US, Europe, UAE, China and Japan in a number major retail environments such as airports, railway stations and shopping centres.

"360tv will give advertisers access to over 150 million shoppers a year all at the point of sale, using 'WOW factor' technology and the lowest CPM of any 'out of home medium'", says director Greg Johnston, Media Planet. 

Under the 360tv format, each advertising slot will either be preceded or followed by non-advertising content. The digital cable delivery system, interspersing news, sport, weather and entertainment content between advertising slots will enable advertisers to make changes up to the moment it is screened. A scrolling news ticker will also run with each bulletin.

The screens will provide a seamless 360 viewing surface, enabling ads and content to be viewed from any angle. According to Media Planet, the resolution, colour, brightness and sound quality all exceed that currently available in Australia on conventional, plasma or LCD screens.

Initially, 360tv will be available in: Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Canberra with further expansion into more centres planned by early 2006.